Bløtkake - Norwegian - Strawberry Cream Cake

This recipe has been placed here for play in ZWT9 - Scandinavia. This recipe is from a website called Sons of Norway. Bløtkake is a traditional Norwegian dessert, and can be found on any celebration table, usually reserved for special occasions such as birthdays. It is also served on Norway's national day, May 17th. A Blotkake is berries and cream between layers of vanilla sponge cake. You may substitute the strawberries with either blueberries or blackberries.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Yields: 1 cake

Ingredients

• For the Cake

• 3⁄4 cup cake flour or 3⁄4 cup  pastry flour
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 6  eggs, Separated
• 1  cup sugar

• For the Custard Filling

• 3  egg yolks
• 2  tablespoons butter
• 2  tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 1⁄2 cups half-and-half cream
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 pint fresh strawberries, stemmed (quartered or sliced)

• For the Jam Filling

• 1⁄2 cup  strawberry jam (Warmed and Strained) or 1⁄2 cup  apricot jam (Warmed and Strained)
• 1⁄4 pint fresh strawberries, stemmed (quartered or sliced)

• For the Topping

• 1 1⁄2 cups  whipping cream
• 2  tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1⁄4 pint fresh strawberries, stemmed (quartered or sliced)

Directions

1. To Make the Cake:
2. Blend the flour with the baking powder and set aside. In a large bowl, whip the separated egg whites until fluffy; add in the sugar to the whipped egg whites gradually. Beat the mixture until it gets to a stiff meringue like consistency. In a seperate small bowl, beat the egg yolks until frothy. Gently fold the egg yolks and flour mixture into the egg whites and mix gently until well combined.
3. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
4. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Divide the batter between the two pans. Bake the 9-inch layers until the centers spring back when touched with finger, approximately 30 minutes. Set on a rack to cool, leaving the cake layers in the pans. When cooled the centers of the layters may sink slightly.
5. For the Custard Filling:
6. In a small saucepan mix the egg yolks, butter, cornstarch, half-and-half and sugar. Cook the mixture, stirring constantly over medium heat until it attains a smooth, thick and creamy texture. Remove from the heat, cover and cool. Once cool stir in the vanilla.
7. Assembling the Cake:
8. Cut the 2 9-inch layers in half horizontally. Place one of the layers on a cake plate or serving plate and spread with some of the custard and place some of the berries into the custard.
9. Add an additional layer of cake and spread with the strawberry or apricot jam adding more of the fruit.
10. Add the third layer and spread again with custard adding berries.
11. Top with the remaining layer of cake.
12. An hour before serving whip the cream and flavor with the powdered sugar and vanilla, spread the whipped cream on top of the cake and garnish with some of the strawberries.
13. Enjoy!